Recent reports have surfaced that let us know MINI has finally selected a group of people to test drive and lease their MINI E all electric vehicle. The group is by no means big, only 40, but they do get off a bit better than us Americans by only having to pay around $640 while we are stuck paying $850.

MINI says MINI E lease shipments will be completed sometime before this holiday season with most of the vehicles being delivered to places like Oxford and London.

via autoexpress

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Those who fanc electric vehicles, MINIs and live in the UK will be happy to hear that BMW has begun accepting applications to lease one of 20 of their MINI Es.

What’s even better is BMW will be offering the £550 monthly lease for just £330 courtesy of a £25 million grant from the Technology Strategy Board. According to the press release, those who lease the car will be supplied with a 240V/32 amp charging unit that will make for a total charging time of just 4.5 hours. Additionally, BMW will supply a 13 amp socket adapter for those who request it.

The application to lease the above vehicle is located here.

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BMW Mini E

BMW recently announced that it will loan 10 Mini E electric cars to be used in New York’s Street Condition Observation Unit (SCOUT). SCOUT prowls the NYC in search of graffiti and potholes. The Mini E cars are part of 500 vehicles the automaker is bringing to the United States as part of a research-and-development test of the viability of a small electric vehicle in the U.S. Of the group, 450 Mini E’s will be leased (for about $800 per month) in the New York and Southern California markets.

The other 50 will be used for publicity programs. BMW hopes to promote the all-electric Mini and also to collect information on how to best market the small electric car and apply whatever it learns to larger and more functional cars. The Mini E’s battery pack takes up most of its back seat and trunk areas, severely limiting its usefulness, but if the cars attract attention and buyers, BMW will invest in upgrading and expanding the new technology.

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The MINI E seems to become quite popular. The car received a huge endorsement from the City of New York. The BMW group will loan 10 electric MINIs to the City of New York for the SCOUT program or Street Condition Observation Unit. The MINIs will arrive this spring and they will go into action. Each SCOUT car is doing 100 miles per day. Its mission is to monitor the problems on the streets and monitor the City’s response to 311 complaints.

The MINI has a 150 miles driving range on a charge and the 150 kW engine produces 201 hp. 500 MINIs are going to arrive in the U.S. with the first ones to be delivered in April. Besides the USA, London and Berlin will begin testing the MINI Electric soon. And who wouldn’t want to test it?

via BMW Blog

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Dr. Friederich Eichiner,a board member of BMW, has unveiled the Mini E live at a press event in Beverly Hills, California. You will be able to see it for yourself at the LA Auto Show which is going to start in a couple of days.

Only 500 units electric Minis will be sold in Southern California and in New York City starting January. The Mini E has an electric drive and battery packs made by California’s AC Propulsion. You will get a range of about 125 to 150 miles out of those 35 kWh packs and you as for acceleration you will get from 0 to 60 in about 8.5 seconds.

How do you get one? Well you will have to register for one on the custom made site that’s going to be released in the next few days and then hope to be one of the chosen one. The lease is just $850 per month after that.

via AutoblogGreen

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Remember the Mini E which just went all-electric on us? Well the car is going to be available for a one year lease at just $820/month. The two-seat Mini comes with a 28 kWh lithium ion battery pack which will get you a 150 mile range. The electric engine will get you some 204 hp and 162 lt.-ft. of torque to that single-sped gearbox. The Mini E will go from 0 to 60 in just a little under 8.5, not that you’re going to fly one off to the moon or anything like that. So Cooper fans, what do you think? Ready to get the Mini E?

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